2023-2024 Mt. Sinai (Icahn)

[chilly_md]

2023-2024 Mt. Sinai (Icahn) Secondary Essay Prompts (question 5 added to our list here 7/23)

1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)

2. If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)

3. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)

4. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)

5. (Optional) Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to impact from COVID-19? (100 words)



For MSTP applicants (note that question #4 above does not have to be completed and the 3 bolded prompts are additional essays):

1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to recent impact from COVID-19? If yes, please explain. (100-word count)
3. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (150 words)
4. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
5. Describe a time when you needed to ask for help. (200 words)
6. What are your career goals? Describe which features of the MD/PhD Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai you will leverage to achieve them? (200 words)
7. Provide a one to three sentence summary of your current research interest. Limit your response to 100 words or less

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[sparky21]

For this prompt, is it basically a diversity essay or should I only answer it if I have some significant challenge or unique circumstances I’ve faced? Not sure how to go about this or if it is truly optional


If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (150 words)

 

[ranmasaotome]

OOS MD-PHD Secondary Received

 

[radnerd]

OOS MD-PHD Secondary Received

Anyone who received MD secondaries?

 

[Labe]

Anyone who received MD secondaries?

Nothing here.

 

[dotsquared]

Anyone who received MD secondaries?

Nothing yet

 

[mnm10]

+1 oos md only

 

[radnerd]

Pls, post the prompts if anyone received them.

 

[mnm10]

If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year.(100 words)



If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)



What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)



Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)

 

[dotsquared]

Nothing yet

+1 OOS

 

[opabiniafan]

+2 OOS

 

[248pinkalicious]

+1 IS

 

[wysdoc]

If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year.(100 words)



If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)



What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)



Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)

Thanks @ mnm10 - are these all the questions?

 

[248pinkalicious]

Thanks @ mnm10 - are these all the questions?

not OP, but yes, they are!

 

[D196]

+ 1 OOS

 

[stony24k]

+4 OOS received

 

[Hippo.Jr]

OOS secondary invite received!

 

[OkHow]

Dumb question but on the first page, called "Biographical Info":

That info is all for your emergency contact and not yourself, right? As in the address, phone, email, etc?

 

[Ajtbs06]

+1 OOS, 5:18pm EST

 

[confusedcurls]

Dumb question but on the first page, called "Biographical Info":

That info is all for your emergency contact and not yourself, right? As in the address, phone, email, etc?

I believe so, because it says "relationship" on there which would imply it's not yourself haha

 

[premed_15]

Secondary IS

 

[YodaPineapple]

Did anyone else who submitted immediately get an email saying they were complete, but then 15 minutes later get one saying they received the secondary and will email again when it’s complete?

 

[Labe]

Did anyone else who submitted immediately get an email saying they were complete, but then 15 minutes later get one saying they received the secondary and will email again when it’s complete?

Yes, except these emails came like a millisecond apart for me. The one saying secondary received and will email again when complete came later too though.

 

[Questvine94]

Hey everyone,
For the question of "Have you participated in post-baccalaureate coursework?" in the Mt. Sinai secondary, should I mark this 'Yes' if I did MS work for reinvention? Or is it just for post-bacc undergraduates courses only?

 

[toastedbutter]

Hey everyone,
For the question of "Have you participated in post-baccalaureate coursework?" in the Mt. Sinai secondary, should I mark this 'Yes' if I did MS work for reinvention? Or is it just for post-bacc undergraduates courses only?

I'd say yes since qualitatively it's still post-bacc work.

 

[Questvine94]

Ok great, I was thinking so too. Thanks!

 

[toastedbutter]

Anyone have any suggestions for how they are targeting the second essay? I'm caught up over the fact that they said unfair or unjust. I read unfair as maybe a work situation or something, little lower stakes. And unjust as more of a social justice type thing. Not sure which direction to go with

 

[deleted1166622]

Anyone have any suggestions for how they are targeting the second essay? I'm caught up over the fact that they said unfair or unjust. I read unfair as maybe a work situation or something, little lower stakes. And unjust as more of a social justice type thing. Not sure which direction to go with

I don't know.

 

[opabiniafan]

Anyone have any suggestions for how they are targeting the second essay? I'm caught up over the fact that they said unfair or unjust. I read unfair as maybe a work situation or something, little lower stakes. And unjust as more of a social justice type thing. Not sure which direction to go with

I'm interpreting it the other way, where its more high stakes, societal problems that i'm linking to my volunteer experiences and whatnot

 

[jabondemiel]

Do they accept online (covid) req classes taken fall 2020, spring 2021? On their website it says:
Online Coursework and Labs - All Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 courses which were switched to an online platform will be reviewed in context of the entire educational portfolio and can be used to meet our premedical requirements
also:
The Admissions Committee will be flexible in evaluating the following starting Spring 2020:...the use of online coursework...

 

[Rocky1976$]

I'm interpreting it the other way, where its more high stakes, societal problems that i'm linking to my volunteer experiences and whatnot

I honestly just talked about how I helped my friend get on my club’s executive board after a fellow e-board member dismissed his candidacy by calling him a “******”. My friend had OCD and often struggled with time management, but had an incredibly strong work ethic otherwise

 

[confusedcurls]

Do they accept online (covid) req classes taken fall 2020, spring 2021? On their website it says:
Online Coursework and Labs - All Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 courses which were switched to an online platform will be reviewed in context of the entire educational portfolio and can be used to meet our premedical requirements
also:
The Admissions Committee will be flexible in evaluating the following starting Spring 2020:...the use of online coursework...

I called them about online coursework and they said that they review classes taken online on a case-by-case basis. Basically they implied that they will still consider your application even if you took a course online (but obviously prefer in-person)

 

[hatuey]

OOS MD-PHD Secondary Received

Could you share the MD/PhD questions? Thank you!

Edit: Here are questions for MSTP students! Three additional questions, and looks like we don't have to do the unfair/unjust question. @chilly_md

1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to recent impact from COVID-19? If yes, please explain. (100-word count)
3. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (150 words)
4. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
5. Describe a time when you needed to ask for help. (200 words)
6. What are your career goals? Describe which features of the MD/PhD Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai you will leverage to achieve them? (200 words)
7. Provide a one to three sentence summary of your current research interest. Limit your response to 100 words or less

 

[hollands01]

Is anyone having trouble submitting the secondary fee? I've used three different cards and I keep getting denied. I'm not sure what to do.

 

[chilly_md]

Thanks, I will add an MSTP section @hatuey.

 

[despasooty]

Is anyone's LOR not received in the portal but when you click on the link they all show up? I submitted them all about a week ago and my application is still incomplete because of that.

 

[optical waster]

If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year.(100 words)



If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)



What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)



Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)

.

 

[maunmr]

Last year, if you checked "yes" to various boxes in the "Other Information" section, more short essay prompts would open up. Could you by any chance share these if you haven't submitted yet? Thanks!

They ask if you’ve applied to Icahn, interviewed at Icahn, or applied to other medical schools before. You select yes or no. Then below them it says “If you answered "Yes" to any of the above please elaborate.”

 

[maunmr]

They ask if you’ve applied to Icahn, interviewed at Icahn, or applied to other medical schools before. You select yes or no. Then below them it says “If you answered "Yes" to any of the above please elaborate.”

I should also mention, you're given 100 words to elaborate.

 

[isJ6J]

Hey, is anyone trying to sneak in a "why us?" blurb in their secondary for MD? There seems like no space for it, so are you doing it or nah?

 

[Labe]

Hey, is anyone trying to sneak in a "why us?" blurb in their secondary for MD? There seems like no space for it, so are you doing it or nah?

All I did was for number 3 relate my identity to a patient population I want to serve that's prominent in NYC. That's it, since it really doesn't fit in anywhere else.

 

[SailboatJ]

For this question: "Are there significant gaps in time that are unaccounted for in your application?"

I took a gap year between HS and college volunteering as a research intern. Is this something I should address in this space or is it long ago enough that it doesn't matter?

 

[optical waster]

For this question: "Are there significant gaps in time that are unaccounted for in your application?"

I took a gap year between HS and college volunteering as a research intern. Is this something I should address in this space or is it long ago enough that it doesn't matter?

.

 

[optical waster]

They ask if you’ve applied to Icahn, interviewed at Icahn, or applied to other medical schools before. You select yes or no. Then below them it says “If you answered "Yes" to any of the above please elaborate.”

.


@SailboatJ

 

[isJ6J]

Just a rant, 100 words is so little Is anyone finding that their writing sounds so stiff and awkward? But I guess adcoms don't want to be reading monstrosities of essays

 

[SailboatJ]

I think they are referring to gaps where you did nothing. Doing some type of activities during that time shouldn't count- unless you didn't mention it anywhere on your primary. In that case maybe it would be worth mentioning. Is there another 100 word essay question if you check yes to that one too?

There is an extra essay for that, but I do address this elsewhere on my primary so I think I agree with your take. Thanks!

 

[optical waster]

There is an extra essay for that, but I do address this elsewhere on my primary so I think I agree with your take. Thanks!

/

 

[SailboatJ]

Thanks. Last year they also had this optional question: Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to impact from COVID-19? (100 words)
Do they not have that question this year?

@SailboatJ

Just saw this, my bad. They do indeed have this prompt!

 

[optical waster]

.

 

[wysdoc]

For #2, "If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)"

I am wondering whether this prompt was shortened this year. Last year the full prompt was, "If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. 150 words"

Can someone who has received the secondary please confirm if that sentence about disability, immigration, culture etc. is in fact not mentioned this year? Thanks

The wording has been shortened in the regular MD prompts.